I-85 North in Gwinnett County, Georgia experienced a major traffic shutdown on [Date of Incident – if available from original text or context] due to a fatal accident involving a tanker truck and a passenger car. The incident occurred near Jimmy Carter Boulevard around 7:50 AM, resulting in a large explosion and fire that shut down the interstate for approximately 10 hours.
Fatal Accident and Explosion Cause I-85 North Closure
Gwinnett County Police reported that a silver Volkswagen Passat, driven by 31-year-old Emerald Lynn of Norcross, was stopped in the second lane from the right after a minor traffic accident. A Freightliner truck, driven by 44-year-old Yonas Worku of Snellville and carrying approximately 8,500 pounds of fuel, collided with Lynn’s stopped vehicle. The cause of the initial collision remains unknown. Following the impact, both vehicles separated before the tanker truck overturned and ignited, engulfing both vehicles in flames. Tragically, both Lynn and Worku died from their injuries.
Fire Spreads Through Storm Drain System
The flammable liquid from the tanker leaked into a storm drain, causing the fire to spread underground and emerge at various points along I-85, including south of the initial accident site near Crescent Drive. This resulted in multiple fires and heavy smoke on both the northbound and southbound lanes of I-85, forcing authorities to divert traffic onto Pleasantdale Road for northbound traffic and Beaver Ruin Road for southbound traffic. Drivers were evacuated from their vehicles on foot and sought shelter behind nearby businesses. Firefighters worked diligently to contain and extinguish the multiple fires.
I-85 Reopens After Extensive Closure
Emergency crews worked for about 10 hours to extinguish the fires, clear the wreckage, and repair the damaged roadway. I-85 northbound reopened around 6:00 PM after emergency paving was completed. The Gwinnett County Accident Investigation Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident.
